Welcome and be aware... We are a pretty silly crew. There are alot of people on here that will give you good advice. Me, not being one of them... LOL. I am just trying to cut down also. I have taken in some great advice along the way though. Good luck and Welcome

Welcome to our community! I am the resident shrink and if you need psychoanalysis, my rates are very reasonable... LOL

Just post on those threads that interest you or you think you can help, and you will attract friends. That's how to start....

Welcome!! I think you will find the support you are looking for, through the sage advice and profound ramblings of the folks who hang out here.

well, i was full of shit when i first joined. still drinking (i'd relapsed) and doing some major pill popping so i read through the postings over a period of days and got a moment of clarity and went to a real rough cold turkey detox. horrible but i sure won't forget anytime soon. been clean and sober ever since and i'm extremely active in my recovery these days. devon

You know what folks...I think I am going to enjoy this group. You all sound so upbeat and friendly.
Thanks for my welcome. I am looking forward to changing things in my life..little steps, of course!!

I'm new too! Happy to see there's so many kind and welcoming people. I dont know what my main problem is. I dont really have a desire to drink all the time, but I do seem to go out and drink at least 4 or 5 times a week. I have a hard time saying no to a friend who wants to meet up for drinks, or to a party invitation, or to a couple glasses of wine at a business dinner (or lunch). It just seems there arent enough days in the week to spend time with everyone I need to stay in touch with. I always seem to have a reason to go out and drink, ya know? I guess I should learn how not to equate spend time with drunk time. This is NYC, and I'm sure there are other things to do! I guess my biggest problem is I can't say no to a fun time out. It's a bad pattern: when I'm not working or out drinking, I'm hung over and being totally lazy! I don't want to stop going out completely, just find a way to enjoy it with fewer drink on fewer nights of the week. It's all about balance, right? Anywho, thanks for listening. Any support and advice will be much appreciated!

I use this site to fill in my old using times, it can be therapeutic and addicting as well.
Through AA, I am learning a healthy balnce with everything. I believe recovery chat rooms can even be brnrficial if used as a supplement. (thumpers, I am speaking to newcomers relax)
The bottum line with drinking problems is the desire to quit has to be all that matters, period.
I started when there was a huge fight on the "computer".
I thought I was in heaven, a way to act out over the computer,,,,,Right on. I was
using dry chemicals and I was actually ready to drive to tenessee to fight!

Things have changed, people come and go. This is a place where you can take what you want and leave the rest..

Welcome, watch out for the shrink, he's also a pimp!!

Alcholics can't cut down - that is the dream of every alcoholic to "control and enjoy their drinking"

From the Dr's opinion in the Alcholics Anonymous book

We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of craving is limited to this class and never occurs in the average temperate drinker. These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cannot break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.

Frothy emotional appeal seldom suffices. The message which can interest and hold these alcoholic people must have depth and weight. In nearly all cases, their ideals must be grounded in a power greater than themselves, if they are to re-create their lives.

Boy, I wish I could have "cut down on my drinking habits" so as to not become and alcoholic! Ha! I tried everything.. Only beer, never before noon, only on weekends, yada yada yada.. Being a true alcoholic as I am, I cannot in any way shape or form "cut down" or "control my drinking.. I honestly wish I could but my history has proven over and over again after 30 yrs or so that it just doesn't work.. what DOES work for me is AA, my higher power and the support of D.S. I'm certainly not going to take your inventory but it sounds to me like you are questioning yourself as to if you have a drinking problem and if you think you might, you probably do.. so yeah, take what you want and leave the rest.. good luck to you.. and welcome.

http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_BigBook_chapt3.pdf

A couple pages of this is the place to start if you ask me!

welcome to a great group all the people here are super.... all you need to do it start asking questions and we will be happy to help all we can.

CSIL,
You sound exactly where I was 11 months ago. It seemed everytime I turned around there was some social event going on. I would have never thought of NOT drinking and at that time 1 turned into 7. I had an incident which occured last June that hit me like a ton of bricks. I quit drinking for a long time and decided to challenge myself with going out and having water. Wow. What a concept huh? I was embarrased at first as friends wondered why! I even made up excuses for the why at first. Well... my confidence soared just knowing I could do it and have fun. I didn't have the lack of energy in the morning either. long story long.... lol.. I decided to put my feet back into the water. I do still drink but I have to conscioulsly stay on top of it... if I say I am only going to have 1 or 2. that is all I have. If I canot stick to this agreemet with myself I have to quit. I love this site and have made some buddies. I am intruiged with the dynamics of what makes one an alcoholic and why some people have issues but can still function. Anyway. If you really want to cut down just do it.... if you can't you may want to take an alcoholic evaluation... Best to you.... Welcome!
~lolo

welcome... cant say that i have got it right yet , but i am working on it . this site has been very helpful as well as fun . Good luck

lolo, that's exactly how I feel. When I'm out, it never seems like an option NOT to drink because it's just part of the scene. And drinking one always leads to more. But you're right, there is always an option not to drink. It's not like there's a "6 drink minimum" sign on the door. It's nice to hear you can relate, and I will give that water thing a try. Ah, I can hear the rumors now..."maybe she's prego...!"

p.s. Thanks so much for all of the warm responses. It means a lot.